Definition:
Also known as Munchausen syndrome, Factitious disorder is a serious mental disorder in which someone pretends to be sick or deliberately causes illness of injury to fulfill his or her deep emotional needs. The disease is names after Baron von Munchausen. People with factitious disorder often make up symptoms, push for risky operations, or try to rig laboratory results in order to gain sympathy and concern.
Munchausen syndrome
Diagnosis:
The dishonesty on the affected person's part makes diagnosing Munchausen syndrome difficult. Doctors who do not find physical reasons for the symptoms refer patients to a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Treatment:
People with Munchausen syndrome actively seeks treatment for the various symptoms he or she creates. However, they are often unwilling to seek treatment for the syndrome itself. Just like other factitious disorders, the syndrome primarily requires psychotherapy, which focuses on changing the thinking and behavior of the person.
Symptoms and Signs:
People affected with Munchausen syndrome deliberately produces or exaggerate symptoms in several ways. Hurting themselves, altering diagnostic tests, and lying about fake symptoms are among the things affected people do.
Causes:
There is no exact cause for the syndrome but researchers believe that biological and psychological factors have roles in its development. Theories such as child abuse and history of frequent illnesses requiring hospitalization are also looked up.
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